by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK - Anthony Bennett broke new ground for Canadians in going No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Thursday's NBA draft.

When Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk went No. 13 and ended up with the Boston Celtics, it marked the first time two Canadians were selected in the lottery of the same draft. Maryland center Alex Len, selected fifth by the Phoenix Suns, is the highest Ukrainian player selected, and Pittsburgh center Steven Adams (No. 12 to the Oklahoma City Thunder) became the first lottery pick from New Zealand.

"In terms of the basketball (in New Zealand), I'm hoping that will skyrocket," Adams said. "Right now that's the main plan. Everybody's focused on rugby. They now have a different path to take and accomplish their goals, whether it be the NBA or whatever."

International players rebounded in the 2013 draft. An NBA-record 12 foreign-born players were selected in the first round on Thursday, surpassing the 10 selected in the 2011 draft. Four foreign-born players were selected in the first round last season.

The depth from overseas comes in cycles. This turned out to be a good year for international players, and a few teams have said already they don't plan to stash players in Europe and wait for them to develop.

Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond wants 18-year-old Greek small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to play in the NBA next season, and the Cavs are hoping the same for 19-year-old Russian swingman Sergey Karasev. The Atlanta Hawks plan on 19-year-old German point guard Dennis Schroeder contributing next season, too.

Canadian basketball is starting to gain a stronghold. Cavs forward Tristan Thompson, drafted in 2011, Kris Joseph, who is headed to the Boston Celtics as part of the blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, Spurs guard Cory Joseph and Orlando Magic forward Andrew Nicholson are among the young NBA players from Canada.

Andrew Wiggins, the top high school player in the country, who will play at Kansas this season, also is from Canada and is expected to be the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Maryland men's basketball coach Mark Turgeon waited with his sons for their train from New York City back home on Friday morning and he was still excited about Alex Len going No. 5 to the Phoenix Suns in the draft.

Turgeon joined Len at Len's table in the green room in what turned out to be a huge draft for Washington, D.C.-area basketball.

â?¢ Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum (No. 10 by the Portland Trail Blazers) is the second player drafted in the top 10 from the Patriot League, joining Colgate's Adonal Foyle, who was selected eighth in 1997.

â?¢ Kentucky coach John Calipari kept his impressive draft streak going, proving why so many of the top high school players want to play for him. For the fourth consecutive season, at least two Kentucky players were selected in the first round. In 2010, five Kentucky players were chosen in the first round, and last year, four were selected in the first round. On Thursday, Nerlens Noel was picked sixth and Archie Goodwin 29th.

â?¢ Undrafted Texas guard Myck Kabongo will play for the Miami Heat's summer league team. That's no surprise. Kabongo is represented by Rich Paul, who is Heat star LeBron James' agent.

QUICK HITS FROM FREE AGENCY

â?¢ Charlotte Bobcats guard Ben Gordon picked up the player option on the final year of his contract worth $13.2 million. No surprise.

â?¢ The Bobcats extended a qualifying offer to shooting guard Gerald Henderson, making him a restricted free agent. Charlotte can match any offer another team gives on Henderson.

â?¢ Minnesota Timberwolves forward Dante Cunningham will wait a year to hit free agency, as the team picked up its one-year option worth about $2.2 million.

â?¢ Philadelphia 76ers big man Kwame Brown also exercised the player option on the final year of his contract worth $2.9 million.